SBOOI Leica Finder and Zorki 1 frustrations...

[Roberto]

Hi there,
Today I received a SBOOI that I ordered while ago; it's in very clean and nice conditions, in a single world: lovely 🙄

I was planning to use it on a Zorki 1 (since a I have no Leicas..) but.. :bang: no way! It doesn't fit, at all. I'm able to mount it on a Zorki 4, but I really can't have it entering the accessory shoe of my Zorki 1. 😕

Please.. help! Any idea on ho to fix (the zorki...) is welcome.

Thanks,
Rob.

 

[julio1fer]

Look at the accessories shoe. It may have been bent downwards.

 

[payasam]

The Zorki 1 accessory shoe appears to come in slightly different sizes and has no springs. A VIOOH was too loose in my Zorki, although it fit my IIIc perfectly.

 

[Rob-F]

Roberto, it is obviously time you got a Leica. Your purchase of such a fine finder shows that you have been bitten by the Leica bug. Give in to it. There is no turning back.

 

[ZorkiKat]

The accessory shoes on Zorki-1 and FED-1 were made of metal bent to shape. The ones on later cameras were milled.

The solution is easy. Pry (SLIGHTLY AND GENTLY!) with a screw driver to loosen the fit and accomodate the accessory finder.

Some cameras on the other hand have loose fitting shoes. For these - and in case you pry more than necessary a formerly tight shoe- the shoe can be tightened. Take the shoe off by removing the three screws which hold it to the top. Then on a level wooden surface, GENTLY beat on the upper bends to make the gap tighter. Or else use large pliers to do the same.

And BTW, with a good Zorki on hand, there isn't any really need to get an equivalent Leica. A good Zorki will be as good as a Leica on a good day 🙂

Jay

 

[Dogman]

The Leitz finders can also be bent to fit in the accessory shoes.

 

[QUAsit]

Oooh... Leica SBOOI + Zorki1 - a very sad story for me. I got 50mm finder for a few weeks and indeed shoe on Zorki required screw driver to be tighten. And camera looked VERY cool and was quite useful.

Then one night I lost finder in a pub. (Or not in the pub, `cause I did not remember how I returned home) =)))))

 

[shadowfox]

I can't even remove the SBOOI on my iiic 😀

That thing seems to weld itself to whatever it's inserted into...

 

[Roberto]

The accessory shoes on Zorki-1 and FED-1 were made of metal bent to shape. The ones on later cameras were milled.

The solution is easy. Pry (SLIGHTLY AND GENTLY!) with a screw driver to loosen the fit and accomodate the accessory finder.

Some cameras on the other hand have loose fitting shoes. For these - and in case you pry more than necessary a formerly tight shoe- the shoe can be tightened. Take the shoe off by removing the three screws which hold it to the top. Then on a level wooden surface, GENTLY beat on the upper bends to make the gap tighter. Or else use large pliers to do the same.

And BTW, with a good Zorki on hand, there isn't any really need to get an equivalent Leica. A good Zorki will be as good as a Leica on a good day 🙂

Jay

It worked... 😀
But now.. the Cosina finder for the Skopar 21 is loose, I put a thin piece of paper to have it fitting firmly, seems like it works...

Thanks,
Rob

 

[ZorkiKat]

It worked... 😀
But now.. the Cosina finder for the Skopar 21 is loose, I put a thin piece of paper to have it fitting firmly, seems like it works...

Thanks,
Rob

The paper trick is the most elegant, non-invasive solution to loose shoe+foot fits. Applies best to devices which cannot be reshaped by bending or beating or too expensive to be subjected to such, like the shoes and feet of many Leica, Canon, or Nikon.

Jay

 

[giovatony]

The accessory shoes on Zorki-1 and FED-1 were made of metal bent to shape. The ones on later cameras were milled.



And BTW, with a good Zorki on hand, there isn't any really need to get an equivalent Leica. A good Zorki will be as good as a Leica on a good day 🙂

Jay

I`ll second that! I am just not impressed with my leica IIIf . The integrated RF/VF is simply terrible and no better than a early Zorki and when I compare pictures from the Leica and my Zorki . The differences are non existent.
I much pefer shooting the Zorki anyway. At a fraction of the Leica cost it`s all the camera that any decent lens needs, minus the snob appeal of course.
John